Tri-District Adult Education has been delivering the WorkKeys program to inmates at the Moss Justice Detention Center for the past six school years. “WorkKeys,” a computer–based certification program covering three academic areas: Applied Math, Locating Information, and Reading For Information. As more employers require WorkKeys certification for “new hires,” it is well worth the time and effort involved to secure the WorkKeys certificate. Students work through increasingly difficult lessons that culminate in a final test that entitles the students to one of three certificates (bronze, silver, or gold) depending on the students’ final score. To conduct the classes at Moss Justice, Tri-District Adult Education staff members take laptops with the required software for two days each week at three week intervals. Due to the inmates being held on a temporary basis until their respective court appearances, we must limit our classes to a total of 12 contact hours. We work with both male and female inmates by rotation between both cell blocks as well as with male offenders at the County Prison “Farm” located beside Moss Justice Center. The Prison Farm is somewhat different in that the inmates have been sentenced and are actively serving their sentences.  As such, the “Farm” inmate population numbers are more stable and permit us to meet once a week for a 10 week period for a total of 30 contact hours.
        As part of our commitment to the broader community, we also make WorkKeys classes available at the New Beginnings Baptist Church. The classes are based on the same structure as are the prison classes. The New Beginnings classes are of the format and duration as our 12 contact hour course. Also, in the past we have held similar classes for the clients at the Clover Area Assistance Center. We have found that the portability of the laptops allow us to travel to diverse settings throughout the larger community to offer the course. We feel that by making ourselves available to as many people as possible, we can maximize the certification of reading and math skills and, hopefully, increase their readiness to enter a difficult job market.           
      Want more information? Contact Tri-District Adult Education at 803-810-8440 or visit their webpage.